HRM403 module 1

Corporate Social Responsibility

Assignment Overview

Many debates have taken place over the topic of corporate social responsibility since the late 20^th century. Initially, Bowen (1953) wrote an influential book titled Social Responsibilities of the Businessmanwhich delineated the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Many believe that social responsibility is vital to the success or failure of a multinational corporation.

More specifically, social responsibility is the process whereby people function as good citizens and are sensitive to their surroundings from a political, economical, environmental, technological, and social perspective. For example, a multinational corporation that pollutes the host country’s environment is not operating in a socially responsible manner.

It is a reality that many businesses are facing a number of challenges in their approach to CSR. The argument that a firm has social responsibilities has been accepted on a global level. Over the years, many researchers have conducted studies on this indispensable topic. Some researchers explain how society and business, social issues management, public policy and business, stakeholder management, corporate accountability are just some of the terms used to describe the phenomena related to corporate responsibility in society.

As corporations and organizations become more powerful both nationally and internationally, it is imperative for managers to take into consideration the impact of CSR on all aspects of a nation. Furthermore, managers should not think CSR as an extra activity but as an actual way of doing business. They should not consider it as an optional activity but as part of management’s operations. The companies should also show in their balance sheets the amounts they have spent on social obligations.This paradigm shift from focusing merely on profits to focusing on CSR for managers is a notion that should be addressed not only in management education but also in management training.

Tensions often exist in firms between commitments to social responsibility and commitments to maximize profits for shareholders. Some managers traditionally focused on the profit dimension; the new challenge is to integrate the social and ecological dimension in the strategy of the company. The social dimension includes a variety of aspects concerning the impact of company operations on human beings inside and outside the organization, such as good labor relations, health and safety, etc. The ecological dimension relates to the effects of company operations on the natural environment.

In order to promote the importance of CSR, organizations should implement CSR trainings and more importantly, CSR should be one of the core values of an organization.

Case Assignment

Task: Drawing on the material in the background readings and doing additional research, please prepare a 3- to 4-page paper (not including the cover and reference pages) in which you:

• Explain the short-term and long-term implications of CSR.
• Discuss how Timberland has embraced CSR. Provide examples.
• What recommendations do you have for companies who have not yet embraced CSR?

Assignment Expectations

Your paper will be evaluated on the following points:

• Precision - Does the paper address the question(s) or task(s)?
• Clarity - Is the writing clear and the concepts articulated properly? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of response to the questions, or are excessive use of quotations how thoughts are conveyed? Are headings included in all papers greater than 2 pages?
• Breadth - Is the full breadth of the subject addressed?
• Depth - Does the paper address the topic in sufficient depth?
• Grammar, spelling and vocabulary - Is the paper written well - is the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary suitable to graduate level work?
• Referencing (citations and references) - Does the paper use citations and quotation marks when appropriate?
• Critical thinking - Is the subject thought about critically, i.e., accurately, logically, relevantly, and precisely?
  Module 1 - SLP

  Corporate Social Responsibility

  Global Cultural Differences

  Performance management systems and appraisals are very common in the United States and some other countries. However, challenges can be experienced when performance management approaches are used in other countries where multinational organizations have operations, or when they are used with employees who have diverse backgrounds with characteristics very different from those of an American background.

  In some countries and cultures, it is uncommon for managers to rate employees or to give them feedback, particularly if some points are negative. For instance in Saudi Arabia, China, and Japan, there is a high respect for authority and age. Furthermore, in some cultures employees may view criticism from superiors as a personal attack rather than useful constructive criticism and feedback.

  Task: As the CEO of your global organization, write a memo to your employees and stakeholders where you discuss the importance of using an ethical and respectful performance management system.

  SLP Assignment Expectations

  Your paper should be 2-4 pages, not including the cover sheet and reference page. You are expected to deal with these issues in an integrated fashion, rather than treating them as a series of individual questions to be answered one by one and left at that.

  You will be particularly assessed on:

  • Your completion of all the steps in the exercise.
  • Your ability to synthesize information and present a concise and meaningful paper.
  • The clarity and quality of your writing.

  SLP Assignment Expectations (Structure)

  1. Make sure that you use your own language (rather than copying sentences from the article).
  2. Your paper will be graded based on the following criteria: Precision, Clarity, Breadth, Depth, Grammar/Vocabulary, Referencing, and Application.
  3. Use 12-point type size (Times New Roman), double-spacing, and one-inch margins. Add a cover page and a references list.
  4. Cite your sources: APA Style - Trident requires all PhD work to be in APA form. We also encourage all other students to comply with guidelines for proper citation of references. You may use the tutorial found on the following link (press “view the tutorial”): http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basics-tutorial.aspx?apaSessionKey=4532A4A4911C1E8D5E885C141739A382